NZ weightlifter banned for eight years

New Zealand weightlifter Andrew Ciancio, who has been banned for eight years. Photo / Facebook

A New Zealand weightlifter's career is likely finished after receiving an eight year ban from participating in all sport for his "systematic and ongoing" attempts to evade drug testing.

The Sports Tribunal of New Zealand today released its decision in the case of Andrew Ciancio, who was earlier this year sanctioned by Australian authorities for anti-doping offences.

Drug Free Sport NZ brought the case after a series of incidents in 2013 in which Ciancio could not be located for drug testing because he had filed false "whereabouts" information.

Olympic Weightlifting New Zealand authorities had concerns for some time about Ciancio's behaviour and Executive Officer Garry Marshall believes the ban would effectively end the 36-year-old's prospects of competing as an open class lifter.

"We were concerned about his activities and had him tested on a number of occasions in competition, and of course, Drug Free Sport NZ were always trying to test him outside of competition," said Marshall.

"But he never turned in a positive so we didn't have anything to go on ourselves.

"We certainly wanted to make sure that he was doing the right thing and obviously he was probably not.

"The age he's at now he is not likely to come back to lifting. Given eight years on top of that he's not likely to return, certainly not as an open class lifter."

The athlete whereabouts programme is used by anti-doping agencies worldwide and requires designated athletes to log details of their location so that they can more easily be found for out-of-competition drug testing.

Between July and October 2013, Ciancio changed his whereabouts information at the last minute more than 30 times and provided false and misleading information about his location.

This false information made it impossible for Drug Free Sport NZ to locate the weightlifter for testing, prompting the organisation to engage private investigators and arrange attempts to test him in order to expose this deception.

In its decision, the Sports Tribunal describes Ciancio's offending as "a systematic and ongoing plan to avoid the clear requirements to which he was subject. They are undoubted breaches of the words and spirit of the applicable regime."

The eight-year ban is double the usual penalty for such offences to reflect the fact it is a second offence for Ciancio, after Australian authorities banned him from all sport for seven years for the use, possession and trafficking of prohibited drugs.

Drug Free Sport NZ chief executive, Graeme Steel, welcomes the strong sanction.

"This was not a one-off error," said Steel. "This athlete engaged in a prolonged practice aimed at avoiding drug testing. He has been found out and is now paying the price for his deception."

"Clean athletes should not have to compete against those who are out to cheat and we hope this case provides encouragement that the system will support them."

Steel says Drug Free Sport NZ made several attempts to explain the whereabouts system to Ciancio and gave him ample opportunity to meet his whereabouts responsibilities.

"We work very hard to ensure that athletes understand the whereabouts rules so that they can easily abide by them," said Steel.

"Having said that, the whereabouts rules are there for a reason and if athletes flout them then there are consequences."